A member of the UTSA staff since 2009, former New Mexico State standout Polo Gutierrez is in his fifth season as the running backs coach.

Last year, Gutierrez helped tutor an offense that compiled 3,570 total yards, 1,466 on the ground and 2,104 through the air. His running backs combined for 1,111 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on 270 carries and added 35 receptions for 293 yards. David Glasco II topped the century mark with 108 yards on 16 rushes in the Southern Miss win and finished the season with a school record 570 yards and his four-year career with program standards of 1,752 yards, 400 attempts, 20 rushing touchdowns and 22 total TDs.

In 2013, Gutierrez helped lead UTSA to a 7-5 overall record, including victories over a pair of bowl teams. The Roadrunners finished second in the West Division with a 6-2 mark in their first season in Conference USA. He helped tutor an offense that averaged 417.8 yards (175.4 rush/242.4 pass) and 25.6 points per game. His running backs combined for 1,816 total yards, including 1,316 and 10 touchdowns on the ground. The group turned in three 100-yard rushing games during the final month of the season, with David Glasco II posting a school-record 135 in the win at Tulsa and Evans Okotcha topping the century mark in back-to-back games with 104 at North Texas and 105 against Louisiana Tech.

Gutierrez helped lead UTSA to an 8-4 overall record and a 3-3 mark in its first and only season in the Western Athletic Conference in 2012. The campaign was highlighted by historic wins against South Alabama, the program’s first road and Football Bowl Subdivision victory, and New Mexico State, its first league win. The offense averaged 31.2 points and 390.2 yards (159.2 rush/231.0 pass) per game and scored 44 touchdowns. He mentored the running backs to 1,823 total yards — 1,246 of which came on the ground — and 19 TDs. Okotcha collected honorable mention all-conference accolades.

Gutierrez helped the Roadrunners to a 4-6 record in 2011. The offense averaged 26.6 points and 364.5 yards (144.8 rush/219.7 pass) per game and scored 31 touchdowns during their inaugural campaign. UTSA’s running backs accumulated 958 yards and 12 TDs on the ground and 390 yards and a pair of scores through the air. The running backs also posted a pair of 100-yard games, as Okotcha rushed for 106 in the Bacone victory and Brandon Armstrong tallied 105 against Minot State.

During UTSA’s Fall 2010 practice season, Gutierrez was a graduate assistant coach for the offense where he tutored the running backs.

Gutierrez came to UTSA from New Mexico State, where he was an assistant strength & conditioning coach in 2009. He also served as an assistant coach for a pair of NFL Player Development Camps and coaches AAU track & field.

A standout offensive lineman at New Mexico State, Gutierrez attended a tryout for the Buffalo Bills and played for the El Paso Generals of the Indoor Football League in 2009.

Gutierrez was a four-year starter for the Aggies from 2005-08. He began his senior season at right guard but switched to right tackle due to injuries along the offensive line. He finished his career by allowing just three sacks in three seasons.

He started all 13 games at right guard as a junior, helping the offense average 331.9 yards passing and 423.5 total yards (fifth NCAA) per contest. Gutierrez was a part of an offensive line that gave up just 24 sacks on the season.

As a sophomore, Gutierrez started every game at right guard. He helped New Mexico State establish 10 school records, including tying the single-season mark for scoring (374 points). New Mexico State finished third in the NCAA in total offense (475.2 ypg), second in passing offense (399.3 ypg) and 15th in scoring offense (31.2 ppg). The Aggies posted five 400-yard passing games, including three with 500 or more yards, and five 100-yard rushing contests.

He began his career with the Aggies as a defensive lineman, tallying 14 tackles as a freshman.

Gutierrez won numerous awards during his time in Las Cruces, including 2009 Lifter of the Year and 2007 Heavyweight Lifting Champion at the program’s annual Night of Champions.

He was born in Laredo but grew up in Corpus Christi, where he was a three-year starter at Carroll High School. Gutierrez played center, guard and tackle and was an all-district selection as a senior. He also was a district champion and state qualifier in the shot put and discus and was named Tigers Athlete of the Year as a senior.